KAKAMEGA, Kenya — Former Kakamega Governor and ODM Deputy Party Leader Wycliffe Oparanya has said he is ready to leave the Orange Democratic Movement if it will help unite the Luhya community under a single, regionally backed political party.
Speaking during a memorial gathering in honour of the late former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, Oparanya said the Western Kenya region must rethink its political strategy to enhance its bargaining power at the national level.
“If stepping aside from ODM will help us achieve unity as the Luhya people, then I am ready to do so,” Oparanya said, adding that Jirongo had consistently championed the idea of a strong, united regional political voice.
He noted that fragmented political alignments had weakened the community’s influence in successive national governments, despite Western Kenya’s large voter population.
Oparanya said discussions were already underway among senior leaders from the region on the possibility of forming or backing a single party that reflects Luhya interests, saying such a move would honour Jirongo’s long-held vision of unity.
Jirongo, who died earlier this month following a road accident in Naivasha, was a vocal advocate for Luhya political consolidation and often clashed with national parties over what he termed marginalisation of the region.
Oparanya cautioned that any new political formation must be inclusive and people-driven, not centred on individual ambitions.
“This is about the future of our community, not positions or personalities,” he said.
